Cain's Wife - What The Bible Says Cain left and went to live in the land of Nod: What the Bible Says about Cain’s Wife By Betty Miller Pastors Bud & Betty Miller on Cain’s Wife Who Was Cain’s Wife, Where Did She Come From This question is often sometimes thought to be among the “hard questions” pertaining to the Bible. Because the Bible does not always address certain questions or issues in black and white, many fault the Bible as being incomplete, inconsequential, or full of mistakes. However, the Bible almost always answers itself somewhere within its pages. The answer to this question really is quite simple, and the obvious answer can be inferred from the text of the Bible in Genesis, Chapters 4-5. First, let’s lay some groundwork. In those days of human history, humans lived to be very old. Most lived between 500 and 1000 years old. Adam lived 930 years and Eve probably lived about the same amount of time. Because they lived as long as they did, they had many other children aside from Cain, Abel and Seth. After all, God had commanded them to “be fruitful and increase in number…” (Genesis 1:28).

The Bible even tells us plainly in Genesis 5:4: “(Adam) had other sons and daughters.” These other children would have settled in various parts of that region. As there was no one else for them to marry, they had to marry each other to propagate the human race. This intermarriage would have been permissible by God back then since there were no other people on earth. Now back to the original question: Who was Cain’s wife? In Genesis 4:14, after Cain murders Abel, he says to God “whoever finds me will kill me.” Obviously, by that time, there were already many other people living on the earth. After he murdered Abel, Cain left and went to live in the land of Nod, east of Eden (Genesis 4:16). It appears that it was there that he married a wife – who may have been either a sister or another relative. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. Genesis 4:16-18 There is an unsubstantiated theory that God may have “planted” other people on the earth during this time, for the purpose of populating the earth. Because the Bible makes it clear that we are all descended from Adam and Eve, and are the “seed of Adam” this theory cannot be true. The early books in the Old Testament make a point to trace lineages of whole peoples and races from certain people who were of Adam’s bloodline. Furthermore, the Bible is clear that we are all born with Adam’s sinful nature that Christ died to redeem us from. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:… For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:12,17 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. I Corinthians 15:21-22 Copyright (c) 2013 – Christ Unlimited Ministries – If this message has been a blessing to you and you would like to see more like them posted on this site, you can help make this possible by your gifts to Christ Unlimited Ministries. Donate Betty Miller has written several books on other topics as well. To view titles or purchase those books visit our bookstore . Title: What the Bible Says about Cain’s Wife THE BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABLE - Genesis Four THE BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1-7. Cain was the first born son of Adam and Eve. Their next son was a boy whom they named Abel. As they grew up both took responsibilities for making a living and Abel, took care of the sheep. Cain, on the other hand became a farmer.

Cain's name meant "Smith or Spear," (1) Abel's name meant "breath." (2) Both brothers in the space of time began to offer sacrifices unto God. Cain, being a farmer offered the produce of his fields, and Abel offered the first born sheep with its fat. God had respect for the offering of Abel but rejected the offering of Cain. Several questions arise. One is why did they began to sacrifice and another is why did God not accept both offerings? First, why did they sacrifice? God, in Chapter 3:21, had shown Adam and Eve, that their covering of fig leaves of which they had made did not cover their nakedness. A spiritual truth was implied that they very well understood. God was showing them that only He could truly cover their nakedness. Their nakedness was representative their sin that was the result of their disobedience. God in making the covering was saying their action of making fig leaves was inadequate. The fact God killed animals and made clothes for them from the skins taught that the covering of their sin could only be accomplished by the shedding of blood. Hebrews 9:22, states, " . .

.without the shedding of blood is no remission." We can assume, Adam and Eve, fully understood these things and taught them to their children or that God told them directly. That also is possible. After Cain killed Abel, God spoke to him and questioned him concerning the whereabouts of his brother. The next question is why was one offering accepted and one was not? Was it because Abel's offering was a slain first born lamb and Cain's was plants or was their another reason? Charles Ryrie, states it was because of Cain's attitude of unbelief that displeased God and that a bloodless offering of the fruit of the ground was appropriate. He notes that in Leviticus 2:1,4, God accepted the offering of grain and oil. (3) Henry Morris, concludes God had instructed them to sacrifice and told them how. He believes that God instructed them to sacrifice a first born lamb and that Abel obeyed. Cain after first following the Lord's instructions in time rebelled and began to offer plants he had grown of his efforts. (4) This is most probably the way it was. Two things are clear from the Scriptures, Cain's heart was not right in that envy and jealousy were present resulting in his finally murdering his brother.

Cain must have understood why God rejected his offering and he became hot with anger and deeply depressed. God made the effort to reach out to Cain, and questioned him why was he so angry. God promises to accept Cain's offering "if he does well." (Gen. 4:7) That means if he does what is right and obeys God. God also makes it clear if he did not, then "sin lies at the door" (sin is present). The KJV, renders the last of the verse, "And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." The New KJV, more clearly translates the verse, "And its desire (meaning sin's desire) is for you, but you should rule over it." God was telling Cain, that sin's desire, referring to the carnal nature of man to sin, wanted to rule in Cain's life. Cain should then exercise discipline and not let sin take charge and rule his life. Cain, uneffected by God's reaching out to him, then talked with Abel, seemly luring him into the field, and then rose up and killed his brother.

Cain's rebellious heart full of the sin of jealousy and hate, grew until he being, total consumed by it, murdered Abel. How true is Romans 6:23a " . . .the wages of sin is death." Sin allowed to grow, not dealt with, not confessed grows as a cancer until it breaks out and takes control. Sin nipped in the bud and confessed cannot grow. A should person take charge to rule over his life and determine by God's strength to do what is right. He should recognize sin's destructive nature and by confession and discipline over come it. Yet, Cain, willfully, would not heed God's instruction. Can we see also that Cain's sin was not just of danger to himself? Sin effects not only the person to whom it controls, but causes its destructive forces effect others also. Most times it is innocent victims who suffer because of the sins of others. The parent who does not obey God's clear command to teach their Children the love and respect for God, who set bad examples. They harm their children in not providing a good example. The sin of the parent will effect the child. Untold is the number of parents who believed in God, whose children reject Christ!

Many fail to teach their child to love God by instructing them in the Bible and by living a Godly life before them. This is not always the cause, but a lack of teaching many times will result in the child going the way of the world.. How many lives does the professing Christian who practices sins effect? How many Christians refuse to obey God. Their failure causes others who other wise could be won to the Lord to never see or understand the wonderful salvation God offers. Your sin, no matter how private, will effect others around you. How true is Genesis 4:7? Sin tries to rule over us, yet God says we can in Christ overcome it and not let it ruin our lives. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13).

God's provision for us today is clear: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us {our} sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9) When God confronted Cain with what he had done, He ask, "Where is Abel your brother?" Cain's reply was a question also, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Are we our brother's keeper? Surely we are! We live our lives in close relation to our family, neighbors, friends, and even people we only casually meet. We responsible for how we treat them. Jesus said the second greatest commandment was: "And the second {is} like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. . ." (Matthew 22:39) Sin is a selfish thing, which sets us at odds with those around us. Jesus said we are responsible to love our neighbor, to care for those around us, and in that sense we are in God's eyes our brothers keeper.

GOD'S INDICTMENT AND JUDGMENT OF CAIN Genesis 4:10-15 What Cain did in secret, luring his brother into the field and supposedly out of sight clealy was seen of God. There are no secret sins. God knows and sees all things. Cain tried to deny his actions, but judgment will always come those who sin. God confronted Cain directly, "the voice of your brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." In other words, the act of murder must be judged and justice done. Standing guilty before God, without any remorse or confession, Cain was judged of God and the sentence pronounced. The curse or judgment on Cain was two fold. 1. The ground Cain had tilled would no longer yield fruit for him. 2. Cain would be a fugitive and a vagabond (wanderer) on earth. Cain's response was that God had judged him too harshly and he could not bear the sentence. In response, God showed mercy in that He decreed that if anyone were to slay Cain, God would judge him seven times more than he had Cain. God then gave Cain a sign, not a mark, to show him of God's protection.

The Hebrew word used here is "oth" that means "sign" not "mark." There was no outward mark on Cain. It is absolutely false to say the mark of Cain was that God changed his color to black and that being black is the "mark of Cain." God does not say what the sign was and to try to link race with this sign is a violation of every rule of Biblical interpretation! Also, there were no races on earth until after the Flood. This will be explained later in this study. THE EARTH'S FIRST CITY AND THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD GENERATION Genesis 4:17 God's says that after this Cain went from the presence of the Lord and founded a city in the land of Nod. Cain left God. Cain's response to the God's instructions was to rebel. His response was to reject God's attempt at reconcilation. Cain's way was to continue down the path that leads to destruction and he then murdered his brother. Then under the chasing of God and God showing mercy even in this, Cain's response was to turn from God and leave God's presence. So Cain went and founded a city in a distant land, dedicated to the rejection of God. Where was Nod?

The Bible says it was east of Eden. We must remember that there is no way to place it on a map today because the earth being destroyed by the Flood was totally changed. Today, even archaeology, finds little evidence of the pre-flood world. This indicates how utterly was the destruction on earth. Cain's first born son was named Enoch, and his father named the city after him. WHERE DID CAIN GET HIS WIFE? The most asked question in the world concerning the Bible is probably, "Where did Cain get his wife? The answer is obvious. If Adam and Eve, were the first man and woman, and Eve was the mother of all living, then Cain married his sister. "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." (Genesis 3:20). Genesis 5:4, states that Adam, begat other sons and daughters. Many have asked, would that not have caused their offspring to be retarded or deformed as we see today when brothers marry sisters or close kin? The answer is no. An understanding of genetics helps to clarify the matter. Briefly, in Adam's gene pool was the potential of creating all traits found in man today.

As generation, after generation was born the gene pools of Adam's off spring narrowed. After the Flood, Noah's three sons went out into the world in three geographic directions and isolation occurred. Thus after each generation was born, gene pool narrowing coupled with insolation from other peoples, caused the available genes to lesson and this inflenced man's characteristics. Also, because of sin man's genes were effected and this caused deformities. These two factors today, namely a smaller gene pool, and the present of bad genes causes children of close relatives to be possibly deformed in some way. (This will be covered more in Genesis 9, when we discuss where the races came from). THE LINE OF UNGODLY MEN - CAIN'S OFFSPRING Genesis 4:18-24 Within these passages we find the genealogy of Cain. His off spring is named and some information about some of them is included. In fifth generation of men, who did not worship God, Lamech was born and he began to practice polygamy. This is a further example of how sin works. The clear example of God's plan for man was monogamy (one wife, one husband).

Adam and Eve were still living and so knowledge of God's plan for marriage was understood. Yet, sin allowed to reign pollutes. Lamech, Cain's offspring with no regard for how God created and set up the human relationship of marriage, took two wives. It was not right then nor was it ever right. It was contrary to God's plan and never brought any good. One of Lamech's wives had a son named Jabal, and he was the father the nomads who tended cattle. Jubal, was the brother of Jabal, and he was the father of musicians, inventing the lyre and the flute (harp and organ). Lamech's other wife Zillah had a son who invented the use of brass and iron. Henry Morris, notes the efforts of Cain's sons to thwart the effects of God's curse. (5) 1. Urban life was preferred by many who inhabited cities instead of tilling the ground. 2. Nomadic life was preferred by others, instead of staying in one place as agriculture would require. 3. Cattle raising was inaugurated, probably because meat eaters not being content to eat plants. This also Was in disobedience to God. 4.

Metal working and tools were developed to ease the toil of the curse. 5. Musical instruments were devised to mitigate the sorrow of life. 6. Polygamy was introduced, instead of following God's stated plan for man. 7. Metallic weapons were invented to give those who possessed them greater advantage over other men. 8. Poetic boasting, as noted in Lamech's song is often characteristic of human poetry and writing asserting man's self-sufficiency and independence of God. (Good example Frank Sinatra's "I did it my way") Lamech, Cain's son, boasts that he "killed a man for wounding me, and a young man for injuring me." Lamech by his actions set the stage and murder appears to have become an accepted way of life and there were no laws to govern it. Lamech's boast illustrates this. Lamech the mocked God. He stated that God had promised seven fold vengeance on those who would harm Cain, but he, the mighty Lamech, would vent his anger seventy times seventy on anyone who would try to avenge the murder he had committed. The strong ruled by the force of their weapons. Note the state of digression of men in this account.

In Genesis 6:5, God states that man's wickedness had become great, and he did whatever he wanted to do. It shows the utter disregard of the Cainites of any morals and their total selfish way of life. By rejecting God, Cain had fathered generation after generation of lawless men who as their father also rejected God. THE LINE OF GODLY MEN THE LINE OF SETH Genesis 4:25-26 When Seth was born, Eve understood that he would replace Abel. Abel was a man who loved and obeyed God and with his death the ungodly line of Cain only existed. Now Seth was born and he would be a man who loved God. Seth had a son also named Enos, and the Bible says that then men again began to call upon the name of God. The acts of sin at times makes it appear the work of God is not being done. At times there seems to be no one who loves God and seeks to worship and follow Him. Yet, God will not leave himself without a witness. It is well to understand also that for a brief time it seemed the promise of God to Eve was not to be.

Her seed was promiced to bruise the head of the serpent, and by that undo the wrong of bringing sin into the world. Therefore when Seth was born she knew God's plan and promise was to be fulfilled in the line of Seth. Abraham, was a descendent of Seth, and from him came the nation of Israel and ultimately the Lord Jesus Christ. The earth was still under the curse of sin, yet God's plan to provide a Savior was proceeding. END NOTES 1. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Merrill F. Unger, Moody Press, Chicago, 1988, pg 192. Cain’s Wife - All the Women of the Bible - Bible Gateway Genesis 4:17 An “old chestnut” of a question, and one which agnostics and hecklers are fond of hurling at defenders of the authority of the Bible is, “Where did Cain get his wife?” To many who are not enemies of the Faith, such a question may cause an unnecessary anxiety.

As Adam and Eve were the first human pair on earth, and by natural generation had three sons who are named—Cain, Abel, Seth—and there is no mention of any named daughters—it does seem as if there is a problem in knowing where the female came from whom Cain made his wife. In the genealogy of Adam, as the natural head of the human race, we are told that “Adam begat sons and daughters” ( Genesis 5:4 ). How many sons there were, apart from the three named ones, and how many daughters were born to Eve we are not told. Thus, because they lived long before the Sinaitic Laws were given, there was no moral difficulty involved in the marriage of near relatives. With Cain, the course was obviously a necessary one as it was with his brothers—they married their sisters. As we have already seen, Abraham married his own half-sister, Sarah. After the birth of Seth, Adam lived for another 800 years, and died at the age of 930.

When Eve died we are not told, but if she lived as long as her husband, and she was able to continue procreation through the centuries, then the family of earth’s first pair must have been large indeed. The register of births and deaths in Genesis 5 is an instructive record of remarkable longevity. The name of the earliest patriarchs are given, and the long years each of them lived upon the earth. If you add together the years that each one lived, you will find that their united lives cover a long period indeed. Enoch lived for the shortest period, 365 years—a year for every day of our normal year; while Methuselah lived the longest period of any known man, namely 969 years—31 years short of a millennium. Adam lived for over one hundred years after the birth of Methuselah, and the latter would have been over 300 years old when his grandson, Noah, was born. There is little room for doubt that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, had the privilege of conversing with earth’s first man. By the end of the first two millenniums the population of the earth through direct intermarriage must have been enormous.

As there may have been a lapse of many, many years before Cain’s marriage, during such a period—130 years between the birth of Cain and Seth, the substitute for slain Abel—some of the unnamed sons and daughters of Adam and Eve were likely born. As there were no other humans on earth apart from their descendants, Cain, attracted to one of his sisters, took her to wife. Whoever the sister was who chose to go into banishment with her branded brother, she deserves credit for her willingness to share Cain’s curse and wanderings. It is significant that they called their first child Enoch, which means “dedicated,” and may suggest a change in Cain’s character. The word is akin to “train” as found in the phrase, “Train up a child” ( Proverbs 22:6 ), and is also used in the dedication of a new house ( Deuteronomy 20:5 ).

Cain called the city he built after the name of his son “Enoch,” or “dedicated,” and, as Ellicott comments— In old times the ideas of training and dedication were closely allied, because teaching generally took the forms of initiation into sacred rites, and one so initiated was regarded as a consecrated person. Though, then, the [Cain’s] wife may have had most to do with giving the name, yet we see in it a purpose that the child should be a trained and consecrated man; and Cain must now have put off those fierce and violent habits which had led him into so terrible a crime. We may add that this prepares our minds for the rapid advance of the Cainites in the arts of civilization, for the very remarkable step next taken by Cain—a fit spot where his offspring should dwell together in some dedicated common abode. © 1988 Zondervan.

All Rights Reserved Bible Gateway Cain Definition and Meaning - Bible Dictionary Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cain CAIN kan (qayin, "spear" or "smith," resembling in sound the root qanah, "get," "acquire," Genesis 4:1 the Revised Version, margin, but not necessarily derived from that root; Septuagint Kain): 1. The Scripture Narrative: (1) In Genesis 4:1-24 Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve. His birth is hailed as a manifestation of Yahweh's help. He becomes "a tiller of the ground," and brings to Yahweh an offering of the produce of the soil, his brother Abel, the shepherd, bringing at the same time the fat of the first-born of his own flock. From Cain and from his offering Yahweh withholds the sign of acceptance which he grants to Abel. That the ground of this difference of treatment is to be found (so Hebrews 11:4 ) in Cain's lack of right disposition toward Yahweh is shown by his behavior (see ABEL ).

Instead of humbling himself he gives signs of strong indignation at Yahweh's refusal to favor him. Under the just rebuke of Yahweh he hardens his heart and is further confirmed in impenitence. His jealousy of Abel, unrepented of, increases until it culminates in deliberate murder. Deliberate, for in Genesis 4:8 we must restore a clause to the Hebrew text, all the ancient versions bearing witness, and read "And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go into the field," etc. In the vain attempt to conceal his crime Cain adds falsehood to his other sins. He is cursed "from," i.e. away from, that soil upon which he poured out his brother's blood, and must become a fugitive and a wanderer, far from the immediate presence of Yahweh. Although his remonstrance against the severity of his sentence displays no genuine contrition, still Yahweh in pity appoints a "sign" for his protection.

Cain takes up his abode in the land of Nod ("wandering"), and there builds a city and becomes the ancestor of a line which includes Jabal, forefather of tent-dwelling cattle-keepers; Jubal, forefather of musicians; Tubal-cain, forefather of smiths; and Lamech, like Cain, a man of violence. In Cain's character we see "a terrible outburst of selfwill, pride, and jealousy, leading to a total and relentless renunciation of all human ties and affection." "Among the lessons or truths which the narrative teaches may be instanced: the nature of temptation, and the manner in which it should be resisted; the consequences to which an unsubdued temper may lead a man; the gradual steps by which in the end a deadly crime may be committed; the need of sincerity of purpose lest our offering should be rejected; God's care for the guilty sinner after he has been punished; the interdependence upon one another of members of the human race; and the duties and obligations which we all owe to each other" (Driver).

In Hebrews 11:4 Cain's spiritual deficiency is pointed out; 1 John 3:12 observes his envy and jealousy, as "of the wicked one," and Jude 1:11 makes him a very type of the ungodly. 2. Difficulties: With few and bold strokes the story of Cain as it stands paints for us the character of the first of murderers and the scene of his detection and condemnation. To the religious purpose of the narrative all other things are made tributary. But if we can not refrain from putting the familiar question, Who was Cain's wife?

it is also impossible upon close study of Genesis 4 , as it stands, to avoid asking what was the nature of the sign of Yahweh's acceptance ( Genesis 4:4 ), or of the "sign" appointed for Cain ( Genesis 4:15 ); or what we are to think of the introduction in the midst of the narrative, without explanation, of such important institutions as sacrifice ( Genesis 4:3,4 ) and blood-revenge ( Genesis 4:14 ); who were the persons of whom Cain stood in fear ( Genesis 4:14 ); who inhabited the city he built ( Genesis 4:17 ); how the wanderer and fugitive could become the city-builder; and why the shepherd life should be represented as beginning with Abel ( Genesis 4:2 ) and again with Jabal ( Genesis 4:20 ); also whether the narrator means that not only the collection of men in cities ( Genesis 4:17 ), but also animal husbandry, music and metal-working ( Genesis 4:20-22 ) are to be looked upon with disfavor as having sprung from Cain or from his descendants?

Most of these questions find their answers in one consideration: the narrative is not exhaustively complete and is not intended to be so. That a large body of racial traditions existed, from which, with the severest condensation, the author of Ge selected his material, is the conclusion forced by close examination the Ge narrative and comparison of it with the most ancient extant traditions. "In Genesis 4 these old stories are not told for their own sakes. The incompleteness and the difficulties left unsolved do not allow this assumption to be made. They form simply the material foundation, to which higher ideas and doctrines are attached" (Dillmann). 3. Critical Theories: Without going outside the Scripture text we may find strong evidence that the narrative under consideration is founded in part upon ancient sources.

Let the line of Cain ( Genesis 4:17-24 ) be compared with that of Seth ( Genesis 5:1-29 ): The Hebrew forms of the names show even more clearly that Cain = Kenan, Irad = Jared, Methushael = Methuselah; a single transposition, that of the first and third names after Cain, brings the two Enochs together, and likewise the similar names Mehujael and Mahalalel. Thus we have six names nearly or quite identical; seven ancestors in one list and ten in the other, ending in both cases with a branching into three important characters. Resemblances equally certain, though not by any means so obvious, exist between the names in this double list and the names of the ten kings of Babylonia who reigned before the Flood, as the latter are given by Berosus, the Babylonian historian of the 3rd century BC (see Skinner, Driver, Sayce as below).

Thus one source of which the author in Genesis 4 made use appears to have been an ancient list in genealogical form, by which the first of mankind was linked with the beginnings of civilized institutions and articles Another part of his material was the story of a brother's murder of a brother ( Genesis 4:1-16 ). Many maintain at this point that the narrative must be based upon the doings of tribes, rather than of individuals. It is true that not seldom in the Old Testament tribal history is related under individual names (compare Genesis 49 ;, Judges 1 , and the tables of tribes in Genesis 25:1-4 ); yet the tribe referred to can hardly be the Kenites of the Old Testament, who appear as the close allies of Israel, not especially bloodthirsty or revengeful, and haunted by no shadow of early crime against a brother tribe (see KENITES ). The indications in Genesis 4:1-16 of a developed state of society and a considerable population may go to show that the narrative of the murder was not originally associated with the sons of the first man.

Thus there is room to suppose that in the process of condensation and arrangement Cain, son of Adam; Cain, the murderer; and Cain, city-builder and head of a line of patriarchs, have been made one. The critical conclusions here epitomized are indeed reached by a delicate and difficult process; but it is asserted in their favor that they make possible the removal of difficulties which could be explained in no other manner. The question which will arise with many, What theory of inspiration can be held consistently with the application of such critical processes? is dealt with at length by most modern commentators (see CRITICISM ; \INSPIRATION\). LITERATURE. A. Dillmann, Genesis (English translation); S. R. Driver, Genesis ("Westminster Commentaries"); H. E. Ryle, Early Narratives of Genesis; J. Skinner, Genesis (ICC); A. H. Sayce, "Archaeology of the Book of Genesis," The Expositor T, August, 1910, June, 1911. (2) In Joshua 15:57 , the Revised Version (British and American) KAIN, which see. See also \KENITES\.

Cain | Bible Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Appearance Distinctive "mark" (perhaps a giant) Cain was presumably the first born son of Adam and Eve in the first book of the Bible , the Old Testament's Book of Genesis . Famously, Cain was responsible for the murder of his younger brother Abel , thus committing the first murder in history. After this murder Cain was sentenced to a nomadic life as a wanderer in a region respectively called Nod , making Cain the first nomad. Contents Biography Early Life Cain was born of Adam and Eve, presumably being the first of their children [1] . This would have been within a year of being exiled from the Garden of Eden . The only clue of their location is that there were Cherubim guarding the eastern entrance into Eden (inferring they were in the east). At Cain's birth, his mother Eve rejoiced and said with God's help she had brought forth a man [2] . Cain may not have been given the name "Cain" at birth, as the name means "possessed" or "acquired"; in reference to a spear. He may have bore the name Cain and eventually had his name come to be associated with a spear.

Sometime after his birth, his brother Abel was born, with it possible that there were other brothers born before or after he was born. It is probable that there was a period of about a hundred years between when Cain was born and the biblical account. Presumed to be the first born, Cain would have been taught by his father Adam to work the soil and agriculture from an early age. Due to the curse that required Adam to manually work for food, Cain would've needed to become proficient at it quickly. Sometime before he murdered Abel he would have married a wife, but probably had not yet had any children with with her. Sin Crouches at his door When Cain had grown to adulthood, he had become a farmer. When it was time to offer to God, Cain brought (possibly some leftover) fruit from the soil, while Abel brought the best of his flock. When God showed favor to Abel's offering, but rejected Cain's, Cain became upset [3] . Even after arguing with God about it, he became angry and took it out on his brother. At an opportune time he called Abel out into the fields. It was there that he killed him [4] . God confronted Cain, rhetorically questioning him about his brother.

In replying, Cain lied, saying that he was not aware of his whereabouts. He sarcastically stated that he was not in charge of his brother and was not responsible for his whereabouts [5] . Cain is punished Not fooled, God revealed to Cain that Abel's death was known. As a curse for his deeds, crops would no longer yield much food for Cain. This would force him into being a wandering Nomad, moving from place to place to survive. This ended his ability to do the job of farming he had his entire life [6] . Cain told God that his punishment was too much to bear and that anyone who found him as a Nomad would kill him; perhaps because of what he did to his brother and there were no other wanderers at the time. Cain then took his wife, at least, and left for a land named for his curse -- Nod [7] ("Place of Wandering"). This place was somewhere in the far east away from Eden. It was there that he would stop wandering and build a city, naming the place Enoch , after the son he would have by his wife.

Since this was about 130 years after creation, it is quite possible that Cain had other descendants that would join him when he built the city. Death Unlike with Abel and Seth , Cain's death is not recorded in Scriptures. His name appears in the eighth generation in Tubal-Cain ("Brought of Cain"). Since Lamech , the man's father, boasts of killing at least two people while provoking the name of Cain [8] , it may be that Cain was still alive at this time. Compared to the line of Seth (born about the time of Cain's son Enoch), this would have put Tubal-Cain alive in the days of Enoch , son of Jared . It may be that Lamech named Tubal-Cain in honor of the death of the progenitor of his "race," putting a possible age at death of Cain at around 500 years old. Legacy The Way of Cain This great crime against humanity is remarked upon by none other than Jesus Christ when he spoke of the death of the prophets from the beginning of time [9] , indirectly comparing the way of the Pharisees to that of Cain.

That blood was on the hands of those who persecuted, and would kill, the promised "seed of the woman" [10] , whom Eve had once thought to be Cain, her first born son. The last writers of the Bible: Jude in his Epistle and John in his First Epistle speak specifically of the sin of Cain, whose evil [11] attitude of greed [12] had led to a cavalier approach to worshipping God [13] . The "way of Cain" was proverbially that of human nature, making oneself the measure of all things. Murderer Cain's sin would be condemned for all time in the instructions given to Noah [14] . Before that, though, one could expect restitution of like kind -- death at the hand of friends and family of the murderer. Lamech mocked God at the perceived leniency towards murder, saying anyone who tried to take revenge upon him would suffer eleven times more than those who might have killed Cain [15] . As a result of this attitude, murder became common upon the earth, spreading over to the family line of Seth, who had replaced Abel.

Jesus himself specifically preaches that a neighbor should be forgiven seventy-seven times [16] , a direct contrast to Lamech's statement. Cainites Cain was the first in a short-lived race, referred to as the "Cainites". Cain's arrogance and disobedience towards God was carried out throughout the whole world after him. Seemingly gaining a position in society, he bore a son with his wife named Enoch and then built a city named after him. It was here that Cain's ideology was fostered and grown and grew to be a ruling philosophy of the world at the time. Infact it was not until the Sethite line was founded, when people on the Earth began to obey God once again [17] . Kenites The other bearers of the name Qayin -- the Kenites [18] -- lived among, and probably were themselves Midianites [19] .

The Kenites were probably skilled metal workers, an assumption based on the only other use of a cognate of qayin, which is translated "spear." If this is the case, there may be a double meaning of "Tubal-Cain" -- bringer of the spear, giving another legacy of Cain: warfare. Flood Legacy Though the use of the term "sons of God" in Genesis 6 is problematic, the best interpretation seems to be that these were the righteous sons of Seth, who in the days of Seth's son Enosh began to "call upon the name of the LORD" [20] . By the days of Enoch the prophet, the likes of Lamech's daughter Naamah ("the beautiful one") became attractive to those in the community of Adam, the "sons of God" [21] . It was thus that humanity became fully corrupted, leading to the need of the Great Flood [22] . The offspring of these unions were stronger and more successful than all others. These same people, known as "giants" among men, would survive the flood, presumably in the progeny of Ham, son of Noah.

The post-flood giants were all descendants of Canaan [23] , a child quite possibly named after Cain. If this assumption is true, then all Hamites are descendants of the giants, though the "giant gene" that produced physical giants was apparently only passed by Canaan. Etymology Cain is an English version of the Hebrew name Qayin (קין). The root from which this word was taken was QWN <koon>, which means "lament." However, the word qayin is translated once as "spear" [24] . Since the word came to mean "metalsmith" in related languages, the clan of Qayin (the Kenite) were thought to be metal workers. Its meaning could be the primary name given to the firstborn of Adam after the fact. The words Eve spoke provide a name that sounds the same, but is spelled differently. Eve proclaimed "I have gotten (qanah) a man (ish)" [25] . indicating that she named her son, Qanyn (Kenan), "a possession." When this account was revealed to Moses, the history of Cain was well known to him.

Since Moses would not offer a self-contradiction, the two names probably diverged in Cain's lifetime. Enoch, son of Cain Site map Enoch There are at least two people in the Bible named Enoch. One was the son of Cain and the other was the son of Jared. The first Enoch was born to Cain, after Cain had killed his brother Abel. Cain later established a settlement and named it after Enoch. (See Genesis 4:1-17). The other Enoch, the son of Jared, was the father of Methuselah. Enoch was 65 years old when he became the father of Methuselah, and lived another 300 years, and had other sons and daughters. "Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him" (Gen. 5:21-24). In Hebrews 11:5, it states, "Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death" because his faith was pleasing to God. Next person in the Bible: Enoch

Question: In the Bible, what was the name of Cain's first born son?
Answer: ENOCH